General “Waifs and Strays” Beauty Advent Calendar opening thread

[AprilLady]

As last year, I suggest we use this as a general beauty advent calendar thread for everyone with beauty calendars that may not be covered by other threads or who prefers a general thread. I’m opening FM, Harrods and M&S this year, and will aim to post on both this and the M&S threads.

Please can no-one post any spoilers before 7am on the relevant day.

Just over a week to go. I’m really looking forward to it!

Wine from Degustabox today! I'm going to stash it away for my next train picnic/hotel stay
I'm chuffed with the night cream from M&S too..makes up for the pair of tweezers from H&B

JL is Living Proof dry shampoo. Not something I use so a disappointment for me.

ASOS is Caudalie Vinoperfect radiance serum which I’m looking forward to trying.

M&S Prai anti-wrinkle night cream. Pleased it's not the neck cream, as I stumped up for the winter edition jar of it to buy the calendar in the first place.

Fenwick calendar has a pot of Bobbi Brown vitamin enriched face base primer / moisturiser. Small, but I'll be interested in trying it.

Space nk is a teeny lip balm.

Sunday Riley Auto Correct Eye Cream, full size today with Cult Beauty - looking forward to trying this, it's one of the better offerings from CB so far. That said, I'm not really overwhelmed by CB this year and doubt very much I'll buy it next year. I tested positive for Covid on friday so might start double opening to cheer myself up ( I've got a home-filled one that is way better than any of this years offerings imo, that I was saving for jadvent.)

JL - an underwhelming dry hair shampoo which I'll give to DD to use

Boots No 7 - A hydrating mask which I had last year and is too rich for my skin. Big enough to gift though but weird to give as a gift I think, not sure

Degustata - definitely my favourite today as it's a minivivo Merlot in its own reusable cup

Prai night cream from M&S. Happy with that. Always handy to have, it smells nice and it's a decent size.

Pai resehip cleansing oil. I really like cleansing oils so I'm keen to try this one out.

@ChewyNougat, I really like the Sunday Riley products I’ve tried so far, will be interested to hear whether the eye cream is good.

@JustLikea, i think it was a product in a previous calendar that got me into dry shampoo. I find using on the roots allows me to go an extra day without washing, which has helped the overall condition of my hair. Having tried a number of brands though, for me the original Batiste still works best.

@OchonAgusOchonOh, the cleansing oil does look good!

Another fan of dry shampoo here. Particularly good if you have a fringe. I keep buying it, dd keeps nicking it so I'm regularly without

I've used Baptiste many times in the past. I just tie my hair back now or usually plait it. DD will use this as she has the last few.

I think I stopped using dry shampoo because I thought it was affecting my hair in some way so haven't used it since.

@JustLikea that dry shampoo is supposed to be different but I can't remember why - something about it actually cleans your hair rather than just being powdery stuff that degreases it I think... I know it doesn't give you the slight root-lift / volume that Batiste does, so I was quite meh about it, but it also doesn't leave a noticeable residue like traditional dry shampoos do.

Maybe that's why DD likes it although she's just as happy with Batiste @ChewyNougat

I'll give it a go though just to see how it works.

Plus my hair is quite fine so it might also give it some much needed body as well as freshen it up

Rituals village has the Sunday candle, Mimosa. And museli is crispy hazelnut and almonds.

Day 13:

Dermologica eye serum. Harrods. Yet another good full size product. This calendar really hasn’t disappointed.

Espa pulse point oil and bath and shower gel F&M Both products in the one drawer. I like ESPA bath products and oils, so happy with this, even though they are fairly small sizes.

Stila eye liner. M&S 2021. DoD for me. Black, sadly. Will be going to DD. Had hoped it would be the brown one included in a previous calendar.

Hyasoft Hydra Boost M&S 2018. I think this is a HA serum, full size. Some Googling suggests it is no longer available. But I’ll very happily use this.

So another point to 2018. Tally now 9:4

Iconic Illuminator in the LF today.

Looking forward to trying this one!

JL is Molton Brown fiery pink pepper bath and shower gel which I’m happy with as I love a bath.

ASOS is a jade gua sha stone. I know lots said this would be a DOD but I’m very excited to get one because this is my first. I’ve just used it by following a video and I really like it. I’ll use it once or twice weekly as part of my routine.

JL - Molton Brown shower gel which I'll be using

Boots No 7 - Blissful body wash which I'll also use

Degusta - a gorgeous pot of salt - with a container we'll use forever - very handy for cooking

Lip scrub and dark grey eyeliner. I'm not sure about this. I've started using black eyeliner for water lining and it looks great. This might be good for that too.

Do update us on your thoughts re grey eyeliner. I use brown as black is too harsh but grey could be an alternative

Space nk is Caudalie Beauty elixir.

So far I’m more impressed with my H&B calendar than space nk but that might be because I’m more likely to buy the H&B products (due to price and cruelty free etc).

Definitely going to get Degusta next year. It’s the one I’ve most enjoyed seeing opened on here.

Ritual of Samuri shower gel. Its smells minty and refreshing - good for mornings I think. And Museli is chocolate and gingerbread - I have liked the gingerbread ones.

@FaoinDrualus

Ritual of Samuri shower gel. Its smells minty and refreshing - good for mornings I think. And Museli is chocolate and gingerbread - I have liked the gingerbread ones.

Definitely a dessert one I'd say?

@JustLikea

Do update us on your thoughts re grey eyeliner. I use brown as black is too harsh but grey could be an alternative

Purely in a community spirit, I tried it on this morning as a normal eyeliner rather than water lining. It's actually quite a soft colour and looks nice on.

@AprilLady - I'd say give it a go before handing it over to your dd. I can't wear black eyeliner other than for water lining but this one is definitely not harsh like a black one would be.

@AprilLady

Day 13:

Dermologica eye serum. Harrods. Yet another good full size product. This calendar really hasn’t disappointed.

Espa pulse point oil and bath and shower gel F&M Both products in the one drawer. I like ESPA bath products and oils, so happy with this, even though they are fairly small sizes.

Stila eye liner. M&S 2021. DoD for me. Black, sadly. Will be going to DD. Had hoped it would be the brown one included in a previous calendar.

Hyasoft Hydra Boost M&S 2018. I think this is a HA serum, full size. Some Googling suggests it is no longer available. But I’ll very happily use this.

So another point to 2018. Tally now 9:4

I got the eye serum last year and am currently using it. It's a massive tube - I seem to have been using it forever.

It's nice but is more runny than most eye creams so be careful using it or you will end up with a handful of cream that you are then trying to shove back into the tube.